Printing unit for a press

Abstract

A printing unit having at least one press unit, the, or each, press unit having at least one form cylinder, a transfer cylinder, an inking unit and preferably a damping unit, and having at least one imaging device for imaging and/or de-imaging a rewritable and erasable printing form positioned on the form cylinder. The inking unit, if appropriate together with the damping unit, can be pivoted with respect to a form cylinder from a printing position into a rest position. The imaging device can be pivoted with respect to the form cylinder from an imaging position into a rest position. The imaging device is pivoted into a rest position when the inking unit and, if appropriate, damping unit is pivoted into the printing position and, when the imaging device is pivoted into the imaging position, the inking unit and, if appropriate, the damping unit is pivoted into a rest position.

1. A printing unit having at least one press unit, the press unit having at least one form cylinder, a transfer cylinder, an inking unit and a damping unit, and having at least one imaging device for imaging and/or de-imaging a rewritable and erasable printing form positioned on the form cylinder;
 wherein the inking unit and the damping unit are pivotable with respect to the form cylinder between an operational printing position where the inking unit and the damping unit are positioned in an operating position space adjacent to the form cylinder, wherein a footprint of the operating position space of the inking unit is substantially identical to a footprint of the operating position space of the imaging device, and a rest position where the inking unit and the damping unit are removed from the operating position space; 
 wherein the imaging device is pivotable with respect to the form cylinder between an operational imaging position where the imaging device is positioned in the operating position space adjacent to the form cylinder and a rest position where the imaging device is removed from the operating position space; and 
 wherein the imaging device is removed from the operating position space when the inking unit and damping unit are positioned in the operating position space and the imaging device is positioned in the operating position space when the inking unit and the damping unit are removed from the operating position space. 
 
     
     
       2. The printing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the form cylinder of the press unit is fixed. 
     
     
       3. The printing unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the inking unit, the damping unit, and the imaging device are mounted such that they are pivotable laterally beside the fixed form cylinder. 
     
     
       4. The printing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the inking unit, the damping unit, and the imaging unit are pivotable in a horizontal plane. 
     
     
       5. The printing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein a pivoting movement of the inking unit and the damping unit, and imaging device, for each press unit or each form cylinder is carried out individually or jointly. 
     
     
       6. The printing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivotable inking unit and damping unit are driven individually. 
     
     
       7. A printing unit, comprising:
 a press unit, the press unit having:
 a form cylinder; 
 a transfer cylinder; 
 an inking unit; 
 a damping unit; and 
 an imaging device; 
 
 wherein the inking unit and the damping unit are pivotable with respect to the form cylinder between an operational printing position where the inking unit and the damping unit are positioned in an operating position space adjacent to the form cylinder, wherein a footprint of the operating position space of the inking unit is substantially identical to a footprint of the operating position space of the imaging device, and a rest position where the inking unit and the damping unit are removed from the operating position space; 
 and wherein the imaging device is pivotable with respect to the form cylinder between an operational imaging position where the imaging device is positioned in the operating position space adjacent to the form cylinder and a rest position where the imaging device is removed from the operating position space. 
 
     
     
       8. The printing unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the imaging device is removed from the operating position space when the inking unit and damping unit are positioned in the operating position space and wherein the imaging device is positioned in the operating position space when the inking unit and the damping unit are removed from the operating position space. 
     
     
       9. The printing unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the form cylinder of the press unit is fixed. 
     
     
       10. The printing unit according to  claim 9 , wherein the inking unit, the damping unit, and the imaging device are mounted such that they are pivotable laterally beside the fixed form cylinder. 
     
     
       11. The printing unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the inking unit, the damping unit, and the imaging unit are pivotable in a horizontal plane. 
     
     
       12. The printing unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the pivotable inking unit and damping unit are driven individually.